


The Brunette Barista

by AlecWrites



Series: Futakuchi Week 2020 [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Flirting, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27887365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlecWrites/pseuds/AlecWrites
Summary: Futakuchi week day 4!!prompt: reasons to smile/ coffee shop au
Relationships: Ennoshita Chikara/Futakuchi Kenji
Series: Futakuchi Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035918
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	The Brunette Barista

**Author's Note:**

> Futakuchi week day 4!!  
> prompt: reasons to smile/ coffee shop au

His daily fix. Honestly it was the only thing he was looking forward to. His life felt dry. To say the least. His job had him working from home and the lack of interaction made him tired and moody. Luckily there was a new coffee shop down the street that he intended to try out. Normally, he just made some himself or ordered it. Today would be different, he’ll make sure of that. 

Chikara was startled by the sound of the small bell at the top of the door when he entered. 

“I’m in the back one second please!” A voice shouted to him. He didn’t bother responding as he looked over the menu. He knew what he would get, but it didn’t hurt to check out the menu, in case he wanted to mix it up a little.

“Hi! Sorry for the delay, what can I get for you?” Chikara could hear the smile on the male’s voice as he spoke, but he didn’t bother turning to look at him.

“Can I have a caramel macchiato, iced, with light cream?” Chikara spouted from memory.

“Any dairy restrictions?” The barista asked, and Chikara choked up a little as he wasn’t used to that question. No one usually asked him that question, and now that he thought about it, weren’t they supposed to?

“No, thank you for asking.” Chikara offered, and he looked down and away from the menu but the barista’s back was to him. He watched his back, the way his muscles flexed in his uniform as he prepared Chikara’s drink.

“That’s my job,” He could hear that smile again of his voice. What reason was there to smile? Chikara tried not to think about it too much, especially since he hadn’t had any coffee this morning. 

The barista set the coffee on the counter with a straw, he rang up the price. Chikara fished out his wallet and gave the requested amount. 

“One caramel macchiato, iced with cream.”  _ Kenji _ , the name tag pinned to his chest said as Chikara looked up, said with a smile. Chikara stared at the expression on his face curiously, before grabbing his coffee. He mumbled a thanks before leaving. 

He returned the next day. This time with his laptop. 

He noticed that the shop was pretty quiet at that hour, and it was warm and inviting. So perfect for working, but Chikara finds himself almost completely unable to work. He was  _ watching _ Kenji. The way he worked. Filling the straw and sugar station, cleaning the counter and tables, and making coffee. He was sure that his watching wasn’t being noticed, but sometimes Kenji would smile at him, and ask him if he was okay. But then again, that was customer service etiquette, so he was clearly just doing his job. It still made Chikara’s heart skip a beat each time. 

Chikara realized he stopped coming to the coffeeshop to work, he came to the coffeeshop to watch Kenji. Admire Kenji. Stalk Kenji…? In the past few days he realized three things. Kenji was  _ pretty. _ Were guys supposed to be pretty? Kenji was sarcastic, some of the jokes he made with customers almost made him choke on his coffee. And three, Kenji had definitely noticed his stalking-watching.

Kenji took it upon himself to write small little notes on napkins to Chikara. 

‘Good luck with work today!’ 

‘How’s the coffee today? I’m a little under the weather.’ Chikara had responded to that with a weak thumbs up, which made Kenji smile.

‘I want to go home.’ Chikara almost laughed at that one. 

‘I changed your cream today, tell me if you can tell.’ Chikara shook his head at him and Kenji laughed. 

Chikara spirits slowly began lifting, and he started smiling. He started, laughing. 

“Do you have goat milk?” A customer had asked. 

“Straight from the goat momma,” Kenji replied and Chikara had spit up his coffee and snickered into his hand. Kenji tried to keep a cool composure when Chikara looked up at him. The customer didn’t think it was funny. 

Whenever there weren’t customers in the store, Kenji would sit with Chikara. He would mainly talk about the shop, and a little bit about his little sister. It seemed like Kenji was being cautious, considering Chikara didn’t talk much, but something in Kenji made him want to. 

“I’m in the consultant business, I’m mainly managing appointments into the computer system.” Chikara admits. 

“Sounds boring, but then again brewing coffee can get old sometimes.” Kenji said resting his chin in his hand. Chikara found himself smiling. 

“You make it look easy,” Chikara reflexily reaches for his coffee, which he normally does when he’s looking at Kenji. 

“I like seeing you smile.” Kenji mutters. Chikara looks up at him, in his eyes. Their expression, the emotion in this irises are almost unreadable. Affection?  _ Desire _ ? Chikara didn’t want to place it. 

“I finally found a reason.” Chikara admits without thinking, his mouth moves before he can think. But instead of clamming up or retreating he meets Kenji’s gaze. Soft and unmovable as he just  _ looks _ at Chikara. Like nothing else is moving or breathing. It’s Kenji and Chikara staying still while the whole world moves around them. It’s almost like Kenji is waiting, breathing even. Stance, trying to be calm, but there’s a subtle excitement coming off of him. Something that Chikara wants to jump at to share, and maybe he can. Maybe if he gathers the courage to...confess. Confess that feeling that’s been haunting him in the back of his mind. Kenji was more than someone he admired, or just liked to watch work. He came in here every day for a reason, and a reason he wouldn’t admit to himself. Something he was unnecessarily pushing down inside of himself.

“And what is that?” Kenji finally asked, like he had waited too long, and was impatient. Chikara smiled again.

“You.” It was a simple word, but it made all the difference, and by the expression that took over Kenji’s face. Chikara was sure that the feeling was mutual.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated
> 
> sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes!!


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